Ludhiana, December 15
Despite an acute shortage of staff, the authorities have failed to recruit 38 firemen in the past two years. Every time, the file for recruitment is sent to the Mayor’s office for clearance, some objection is put on the selection procedure.

In June 2010, the Municipal Corporation had conducted interviews for 40 posts of firefighter, but the Mayor, Hakam Singh Gyaspura, had cancelled the selection process, saying that the MC had failed to follow the right procedure.

An official in the department said on the condition of anonymity that recruitment was not being undertaken for reasons best known to political leaders. “Last time when we had recruited people, the Mayor had objected to it on the plea that proper procedure was not followed for the selection. Before placing advertisements in the media inviting applications, the file has to be cleared by the General House. Political leaders usually want to accommodate their own candidates. The entire selection process was cancelled when letters to the selected candidates were about to be issued. It has been more than a year, but the fate of recruitment still hangs in balance,” he claimed.

In a city like Ludhiana, where the population is over 16 lakh, fire incidents take place rather regularly. Fire engines cannot reach the most congested areas in the interior parts of the city and in such a scenario only firemen can help douse fire. “But we are short-staffed. Firemen are retiring, but the department is not making fresh recruitment. In cases of major fire incidents, we face the wrath of the public and not officials sitting in air-conditioned offices,” a fireman said on the condition of anonymity.

Setback for dept

Against the sanctioned strength of 86 firemen, there are only about 48 firefighters with the department. The announcement to fresh recruitment had brought some relief last year, but with the Mayor’s “regular objections” on the selections, the department is losing hope. “This is an industrial city and fires keep breaking out. We have to make do with a few firemen who, at times, work almost round the clock,” said a fire official.

Issue to be taken up

Asked why no recruitment had taken place in two years, the Mayor, Hakam Singh Gyaspura, said: “The recruitment file is with me. We will discuss the issue with the
MC Commissioner today itself.”

Ludhiana, December 15
The acting Chairman of the Punjab Right to Service Commission, SM Sharma, recently said although there were teething problems in the Right to Service Act, the department had not received any complaint from the public so far. But ironically, the public at large is unaware of the Act and its benefits.

During a visit to the Civil Surgeon’s office, it was observed that people still come there thinking they will get birth and death certificates after a week or more as they are not aware of the Act.

Village residents ignorant

I am a matriculate, but do a menial job. I do not know what is the Right to Service Act and what are its implications. No one has told me about it.~

— Gurdeep Singh from Gune village

I came to apply for the birth certificates of four family members. I was told by someone that I could collect them in two
weeks.

— Jagdeep Kaur from Dhanansu village

How do you say one can get a birth certificate of previous years in five days? I applied for it on December 7 and was asked to collect it on December 13. I visited the office on December 13 and was told to collect it on December 15. Even now I am not sure that I will get
it.

— Rajwinder Singh from Dhanuara village

I did not read the notice board at the Civil Surgeon’s office regarding the Act. No one in our village knows about it. Even the village head may not be aware of it.~

— Inderjeet Singh from Threekay village

Info on display

The health authorities have installed two information boards on the premises of the Civil Surgeon’s office, informing that birth/death certificates pertaining to the current year can be obtained within two days. Certificates of previous years would be provided within five days.

‘Creating awareness’

We are doing our duty by creating awareness among the public about the Act through the media. I hope in the coming days more and more people will get to know about
it.

Ludhiana, December 15
Ludhiana Commissioner Police SS Chauhan has warned corrupt traffic police personnel against harassing the public and behaving as per law or face the music.
Admitting that certain traffic policemen in the city were harassing people by checking documents again and again, he said indiscipline in the department would not be tolerated.

He said commuters from outside the district should not be harassed. “Cops on duty can check the documents of vehicle owners or drivers, but cannot harass the public or ask for bribe. Such practises will not be tolerated,” he said, adding that there should be rotation
among the cops. “They will be put on duty as per their capabilities and their locations will keep changing for smooth functioning,” he stated. He asked the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) to observe the activities of the erring cops.

Chairing a meeting with the traffic police here today, Dr Chauhan said there was huge traffic movement in the city during peak hours. More traffic cops would be deputed to regulate the heavy flow of traffic. “We will ensure that not many challans are issued during peak hours as it disrupts the traffic flow. But at the same time, those violating traffic rules will not be spared,” he said.

Traffic policemen must not indulge in unethical activities as it brought bad name to the whole department. “Instructions have been issued after making a general observation and after getting a feedback from the public. We have not received any complaint against any particular cop so far. This is a general warning to all,” he said.

Chandigarh, December 15
Acting on a petition for quashing a public notice finalising a list of 400 “lawful claimants” of houses meant for 1984 riot victims, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has laid down a procedure, including the identification of bona fide victims settled in Ludhiana.

The development is significant as the Ludhiana Sikh Migrants Welfare Board had alleged that the public notice was a device to “regularise illegal occupancy by occupants and dwellers at the behest of influential people and at the cost of genuine victims still awaiting such allotments”.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Surya Kant said: “It would be imperative upon the authorities firstly to determine as to who are the genuine and bona fide victims of the riots settled in Ludhiana to whom red cards have been issued, irrespective of the cut-off date of such cards.

“The authorities would then proceed to identify whether any victim has already been allotted a dwelling unit/booth or any other immovable properties on concessional rates as per the government policy issued from time to time and if such a victim has already been adequately compensated under the policies, he shall have no right to seek regularisation of his illegal possession of the flat at the cost of other victims who are still struggling to seek actual concession.”

The Bench added that the
judgments should be referred to while carrying out exercises like regularisation of illegal occupation of flats; and allotment of the un-allotted flats or dispossession of those found not entitled to regularisation of illegal occupation for the reason that an immovable property at concessional rate under government policy has already been allotted to such victims.

The Bench, while taking up about 20 appeals filed by GMADA, had made it clear that persons not falling within the scope and ambit of the “riot affected victim”, but found to be in illegal possession of houses, were liable to be evicted.

The Bench added that victims in illegal occupation of flats, in addition to the ones allotted at concessional rates, had no right to a second flat.

Ludhiana, December 15
After the recent increase in incidents of looting in the city, the police seems to have swung into action by issuing orders to makers of number plates to strictly follow the Motor Vehicles Act.

The Deputy Commissioner Police (DCP), Ashish Choudhry, has asked them to follow the Act while making “stylish”number plates. They should check the registration certificate (RC) of the vehicle, besides the address and telephone number of the owner of the vehicle before making a plate, he said.

He admitted that number plates were being issued without checking documents, which could be easily misused by anti-social elements. “We are going to act tough and
take strict action in case someone is found guilty,” he said.

40 years have gone, but pain remains
Minna Zutshi
Tribune News Service

Jagraon, December 15
Forty years. Inching towards half a century, with an irreversible marker -- the year 1971, the year of the Indo-Pak conflict. “Life post-1971 has not been the same,” says Gurdev Kaur, her words almost sounding like a clichéd script. But when you look into her eyes, there's a pain that refuses to go away.

She was around 18 years old when her husband Mukhtiar Singh Khela, an infantry soldier with the Punjab Regiment, died a martyr at the Chhamb-Jurian Sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

“It was on a wintry December day that we received a telegram stating that my husband was among those missing,” she says.

For the next six months, she was flitting between hope and despair. Then came the word: Her husband was dead.

There’s a tinge of pride in her voice when she says that her husband sacrificed his life for the country. But soon she lapses into fatalism. “Even if he had not gone to the warfront, he may still have lost his life. Destiny is unalterable.”

Not many at Sherpur Kalan village, where she
lives, know her by her name. “That's because I have another name, Jaswinder Kaur,” she says. Villagers say it's the man's name that matters.

About an hour's run from this village is another equally non-descript village Heeran. Septuagenarian Charan Kaur's face is a crisscross of wrinkles. She shows us a framed picture that is wrapped carefully in a transparent cover. “That's my husband Darshan Singh, who was a soldier with the Sikh Light Infantry. He lost his life in the Indo-Pak conflict of 1971.”

“It now seems a forgotten story. Not many in this village know about my husband. Youngsters have no idea of his sacrifice,” she says in a low voice.

Gradually, her voice gathers momentum. And there’s a barrage of questions: “Why can’t we have a memorial for him? Why do politicians have selective sight? Why do they see only the things that serve them well? My husband was decorated with Sena Medal. Why is it a lost chapter? Vijay Diwas? I don't know about it,” she adds.

Jarkhar (Ludhiana), December 15
Mata Sahib Kaur Sports Club of Jarkhar village on the Ludhiana-Malerkotla road took lead over others as the opening ceremony of the 26th edition of the annual sports festival began today under floodlights.

Children take a round with the torch at Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana.
Tribune photos: Himanshu Mahajan

The organisers of the sports festival, popularly known as “mini modern rural Olympics”, have emerged as pioneers by holding the inaugural function of a rural festival under artificial lights.

Balloons being released in the air with the logo of Jarkhar games at Jarkhar village.

The stadium of the village was jampacked well before the games torch arrived there. The torch procession had started yesterday from Olympian Surjit Singh Randhawa Stadium, Jalandhar. A large number of former and current sports stars along with sports lovers were present during the flag-off ceremony.

The torch reached Guru Nanak Stadium here this afternoon and after a short halt there, proceeded towards the main venue in Jarkhar. Trainees of the Jarkhar Hockey Academy, carrying the games flame, covered a distance of about 20 km till Jarkhar.

More than two dozen vehicles accompanied the procession. On its arrival at Mata Sahib Kaur Stadium, the torch was taken around the ground as enthusiastic spectators cheered.

Punjab minister Hira Singh Gabria inaugurated the festival which
was followed by a firework display.

Some hockey and handball matches were conducted on the opening day. In hockey (boys), ITBP XI survived many anxious moments against Jarkhar Academy lads before managing a 1-1 draw.

A hockey match in progress between EMI Northern Railway and Amritsar on the opening day of Jarkhar Sports Festival.

Online animation websites still the best bet in city
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 15
Youngsters from the city are not lagging when it comes to choosing creative professions like animation and multimedia. But as animation industry is yet to establish a foothold in the city to absorb the growing talent here, the promising young talent are not left with much choice but to move out to the animation hubs the NCR or Mumbai. The nearest ray of hope is Chandigarh. Online avenues like freelancing websites are still the best bet.

"The advertising industry or the media industry is yet to mature here, so there isn't much support for those who want to station themselves in the city and prosper in the career of animation," says 30-year-old Kanwal, who has been working in the city for the last eight years.

Many institutes preparing the students in animation admit that there isn't much scope for the animation professionals in the city. Some of the institutes like Frameboxx and Xplora Design School claim to give good placement but in animation a student has to move out for good career prospects.

"The scope and demand for graphic and web designers has been increasing constantly in the city. But it might still take some time for the development of the animation industry," says Jaskanwal Singh, branch manager, Xplora Design Skool.

Students also rue that it there is little scope for animation experts in the city. "More animation experts need to come to the city and establish their studios to make it a cradle of creativity so that it encourages more youngsters to take up animation as a career," says Gaurav Sharma, who is pursuing his diploma in animation.

"The industry in the city should also encourage and patronise local talents for the development of the industry here. It will be a win-win situation for both the industry and creative professionals as it will save a lot of expenditure of outsourcing work
besides providing a fillip to both the industry in the city," he adds.

Ludhiana, December 15
"I want to prove that even the differently abled can achieve something," says 25-year-old Gagandeep Singh, who has been suffering from cerebral palsy. Despite the severe disability, he has been fighting the odds and is pursuing a multimedia course. Due to the disability, he
cannot move around on his own.He can barely move his limbs and needs support in doing his everyday chores.

But he is confident and determined to show that the differently abled can achieve something and should be treated with respect. "When people look at differently abled persons in our country, they think of us to be worthless. I want to change that mindset," he said.

He is a student of class XII and is studying through open school with the support of Ashirwad, an NGO.

He has been learning computers for the last four years. "I have been able to learn computers only because of my teachers," he says. He is grateful to some of his teachers particularly Jaspreet Singh, Vijay Kumar, Sunita and Varinder Singh.

"When I went to take admission in various multimedia institutes, everybody showed me the door and dismissed me as someone who could not learn," he said. "But finally I got admission to one of the institutes - Animation Live. I am really thankful to the faculty for giving me the opportunity to learn," he says.

He is learning design software and has made several greeting cards and has also won prizes.

"After I learn animation, I want to teach, the differently abled. I will teach them that they can also learn and achieve something in life," he says.

Ludhiana: DAV School, Pakhowal Road, in collaboration with the Pinnacle Institute of Fashion Technology, organised a guidance session for secondary school students. The students were informed about the courses in retail management, knitwear design, apparel merchandising. They were also given informative pamphlets.

Athletics meet
at Green Land

The annual athletic meet was held for e students of the KG wing of Green Land Public School, Jalandhar Bye Pass. Students participated in various events like, frog race, hurdle race, 100-metre race, back race, balance race. The winners were given gold, silver and bronze medals by the chairman-cum-director Rajesh Rudhra.

Fashion studentsvisit Jaipur

Guru Nanak Institute of Design and Technology organised a three-day trip to Jaipur students were taken to different spots, shown the traditional tie and dye, block printing and weaving to give the students an insight knowledge of the traditional fabric weaving and its dyeing and printing process. The students were even taken to city palace where they were shown the old traditional costumes and jewellery worn by the “maharajas” and “maharanis” of that time. The original diamonds and jewels worn by them were also preserved there. The staff and students were taken in by traditional turbans, quilts, jewels, pottery work, fabrics and leather accessories. In all it was a trip of fun and knowledge. Centre head Sukhpal Kaur said that the institute believed in making study enjoyable, so at regular intervals trips and industrial visits were planned for the students to see the processing of the fashion articles.

Art and craft workshop

A week-long art and craft workshop was organised at G.M.T College of Education under the guidance of principal Shikha Soni. The workshop was organised to develop the aesthetic sense of students and to attain the vocational aim of education. The popping art expert Parveen Sabherwal trained the students in various skills of art and craft like candle making, basket making, wall-hangings making, thermacol art and objects of best out of waste. Around 80 students participated in the workshop and learnt how to make beautiful decorative pieces. They took many tips on making articles from waste material at a low cost and in less time. On the concluding day of the workshop Soni thanked Sabbarwal for giving training to the students.
— Tribune Reporters

LED screens arrive, but no infrastructure
Charanjit Singh Teja
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 15
The Punjab Government often accuses the Central government of not providing sufficient financial aid to the state, but at the same time, the state government seems unable to “handle” the grants issued by the Centre. Various government school authorities are in a fix as schools do not have enough rooms to install the LED screens sent by the Centre under the EDUSAT programme.

In the last few years, the Centre has implemented a number of educational schemes in government schools. But government schools are not fulfilling the infrastructural requirements for these projects like rooms and laboratories.

Recently, the government had sent 24 LED screens to every government schools for EDUSAT laboratories. Almost all senior secondary schools of the district have received the screens, but not a single school has unpacked the screens because the laboratories require huge infrastructure. “Only a few government schools have proper infrastructure in the district. The government has sent the LED screens, but most schools do not have spare rooms to install these screens. We require more rooms as the government has launched a number of projects,” said Gurbeer Singh, a teacher at a senior secondary school.

Surinder Singh, a teacher, said: “It is good that the government is taking appreciable steps to uplift the standards of education. The teachers welcome the initiatives of the government to install technical equipment in schools. But the building and basic infrastructure of schools do not support it.”

Ludhiana, December 15
There has been no progress in the EDUSAT programme at Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar Government Senior Secondary School in spite of the fact that it is at a distance of 100 metres from the district coordinator’s office of the programme. It is hard to expect it to be working well in the other parts of the district.

While EDUSAT programmes are telecast live, the EDUSAT laboratory at the school is locked. According to the senior laboratory attendant of the school, the UPS of the set-up is not working properly and they are waiting for it to be replaced.

Moreover, the school authorities are not clear about the in charge of the EDUSAT laboratory. Only a lab attendant who is on census duty is operating it. “I am not in charge of the lab, but am only assisting it. I was on census duty and it is hard to juggle both tasks simultaneously,” said Sukhbir Singh, senior lab attendant.

District coordinator Narinder Saggar said: “We had lodged a complaint to the head office. Engineers have already been sent to check the fault. Fixing
the problem and replacing the equipment will take some time.”

The Punjab Pradesh Aggarwal Sammelan on Thursday made it clear to the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and its ally - the Bhartiya Janata Party that even though the community had lent its unconditional support to the ruling coalition but the government had persistently given them a raw deal. Amrit Lal Aggarwal, president of the body, in a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, they said that the community should be given due. He also cautioned the SAD-B leadership not to allot party ticket to corrupt persons or those with questionable credentials lest the electorate should reject them.

Energy conservation award

IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited (IOLCP) has once again won the National Energy Conservation Award 2011. The company has won the second prize in the chemical sector for its continued efforts towards new technology implementation so as to conserve energy resources of the country. Vijay Singla, director (works), IOLCP received the award from Sushil Kumar Shinde, Union Minister of Power, at a special felicitation ceremony held on December 14, 2011 in New Delhi.

Power shutdown

11 KV Basti feeder, fed from 66 KV GT Road substation will be shut down for urgent repair and maintenance work on December 16 from 10 am to 3 pm. During this period, power supply to areas, including Gandhi Nagar, Lovkush Nagar, Sohan Singh Nagar, parts of Basant Nagar and parts of Fatehgarh Mohalla will be affected.
— OC

Ludhiana, December 15
A problem of plenty has hit the potato growers where it hurts the most. With the bumper crop in the Doaba belt arriving in mandis all over the state, there are no takers for the produce of the previous season which was kept in cold storages with the objective of earning higher profit margins.

The glut of potatoes in the mandis has created a situation in which the farmers have been forced to dump their crops on roads or else to resort to free distribution of potatoes among the public.

According to sources, the total potato production in the current season was reported to be at around four crore tonnes which is 11 per cent higher as compared to last year (3.73 crore
tonnes). Wholesale traders of potatoes said that a 50-kg bag of fresh produce was selling at Rs 160 - 170, which was further being sold in retail at a price ranging between Rs 4-5 per kg. "However, there are no takers for the produce of the previous season, and to top it all the farmers have to shell out Rs 85 per bag as storage charges,"

The potato growers further maintained that the fire-fighting measure of the state government in releasing an amount of Rs 2 crore to Markfed as freight subsidy to enable the producers to sell their produce out of the state, or for export, had also failed to provide any relief to crisis-ridden farmers. "The freight subsidy of Rs 2 crore is grossly disproportionate to the volume of the potato crop which needs to be disposed of."

Samrala December 15
A mass marriage function was organised at the grain market where 153 marriages were solemnised by a society, Manav Sewa Mission, of the area.

Chief organizer Ranjeet Singh Jeeta Gahlewal said the function started with the bringing of Guru Granth Sahib to the venue at the grain market amidst a big gathering.

The traffic remain disrupted due to the coming of “barats” to the venue and the commuters were stranded in serpentine lines for about an hour in the morning and later
in the evening at the time of departure after marriages. All the arrangements were according to old traditions.

The marriages were solemnised according to the wishes of the
couples.

Jagtar Singh, a resident of Todarpur village, who is a labourer while talking to The Tribune said that he was very worried about the marriage of his grand daughter but he was delighted that she was married off at the
venue. According to him he had four daughters and a son and was very difficult for him to make his two ends meet.

The married couples belonged to poor families.

The organisers gave the needed utensils and other items, including gold jewellery to the newely wedded couples. Several prominent persons of the area apart from family members and relatives of the those getting married were present there.\

Ludhiana December 15
The Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University(GADVASU) organised a workshop on “Basic Experimental Design: Planning for Good Results and Working with Mice- Basic Considerations and Sample Taking” in collaboration with University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

Dr. Baljit Singh, associate dean, research, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Canada explained that researchers should lay major emphasis on experiment designs, record keeping to obtain quality, repeatable results, which can be published in reputable journals. He emphasised that the quality of publication of research should be given priority over quantity of
publications.

David Schnerberger, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada gave his presentation Basic Experimental Design: Planning for Good Results and Working with Mice- Basic Considerations and Sample Taking. Dr David also gave hands on training on laboratory animal handling and ethic issues, collection and processing of blood and tissue samples from mice.

Ludhiana, December 15
The state leadership of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is going all out to mobilise party cadres for the rally at Jalandhar on December 24 in a bid to make the event a huge show of strength in the run up to the Assembly elections which are due in about two months time.

Addressing a news conference after the meeting of party activists here today, Tikshan Sud, Minister for Local Bodies, Industry and Commerce, who is also the leader of the BJP legislators in the Assembly, and Kamal Sharma, state general secretary said that the rally would be preceded by a two-day conclave of the national level office-bearers of the BJP.

The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, he added, would address the SAD-B rally at Moga on December 18 along with other senior state-level leaders of the BJP.

Sud said even though the candidates for the 23 Assembly seats that the party would contest, had been discussed at various levels but the formal announcement of party nominees would be made after the rally.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 15
It was a day of learning theater art for all constituents of the Government Senior Secondary School, Dehlon, that too without spending any money on infrastructure, aides or costumes.

Samuel John, an artiste known for Punjabi film “Mitti” and “Anne Ghode Daa Daan”, not only gave lectures on drama and theater, but also enabled volunteers, students and members of staff to enact a few scenes.

Excited students presented their original ideas on the stage, without any preparation.

Samuel has been contributing to the theater for the past 20 years. He trains students of rural schools single handedly. Credited with keeping theatre alive in Punjab, he has now established himself in both film as well as the theatre.

He has successfully depicted the suffering of poor in general and labourers in particular through his plays and films. “I think that cinema is not a serious medium so I have chosen to stay away. I am happy going to “mazdooran de vehde” and doing theatre there. We even staged “Macbeth” at villages and towns of Punjab. Instead of making hosts spend thousands on making arrangements we would spread a bed sheet, stage our play and move on to the next village with whatever the villagers would give us,” added Samuel.

Ludhiana, December 15
The District Health Department today took samples of eatables from different shops in the city.

According to Dr Kulwinder Singh, district health officer, Ludhiana,"On the directions of the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Subhash Batta, we collected samples of some eatables. I along with food safety officer Harpreet Kaur raided a few shops.

We took samples of Urad daal from a karyana shop in Ghumar Mandi, patties and biscuits from "Bake For You" a confectionary shop, gulab Jamun and biscuits from Keshav Sweets, sohan papari and laddoos from Seeta Ram at Ghumar
Mandi."

Confirming this, assistant divisional fire officer, Ludhiana, said, "Today I received a letter from the authorities of the civil hospital in which they have asked us to issue them a NOC for fire-fighting arrangements. But we cannot issue them the NOC at once as the hospital does not comply with the norms of the National Building Code part-IV. I gave them the photo copies of these norms so that they can comply with the same and make the required fire-fighting arrangements. Only then we will issue the NOC ."

It was on December 14 when Ludhian Tribune highlighted the plight of Civil Hospital by carrying the news "Mahavir Hospital waiting in fire safety norms".

Samrala December 15
MAM Public School, Samrala, celebrated the third flower show in the school camps in which environment lover Sant Balvir Sngh Seechewal was the chief guest. Flowers of different type were displayed by the organisers. The programme started with the recitation of “shabad” by the school students. School students presented several items on the importance of flowers and how important it was to keep the environment free from pollution.

Seechewal in his address to the students appealed that they should keep the environment free from pollution and apprised them of the bad effects of pollution. Seechewal was also honoured by Jagir Singh of the charitable Trust for his book on trees. School Director Devinder Singh Benipal thanked the guests and the students of the school for participating in the
programme.

Ludhiana, December 15
Activists of the Communist Party of India (CPI) held a rally at the Mini Secretariat here today and submitted a memorandum on the "Food Security Bill" to the Deputy Commissioner as part of observing December 15 as the All India Food Security Day. The party workers demanded universalisation of public distribution system, no cash transfer in place of ration items, changes in the Essential Commodities Act to control hoarding, steps to control agrarian crisis, to save the poor, marginal and the middle farmers in food grain production and to safeguard India from costly imports of grains.
— OC

Ludhiana, December 15
To facilitate the public, now a counter of Suvidha Centre has been opened at Civil Surgeon Office, Ludhiana. The counter deals with death and birth certificates of people.

The counter came up only two days ago and applications for death and birth certificates are received by two employees of the Suvidha Centre and certificates are also issued at the same window. Dr Kulwinder Singh, district health officer, Ludhiana, said,"Earlier the employees of the health department used to collect applications and issue certifiactes. But now employees of Suvidha Centre are doing this job, they collect applications, forward them to us and collect certificates from us and handover to the concerned people."

Ludhiana December 15
The jury of Punjab Commerce and Management Association today announced its annual awards for the year 2011 which will be conferred on December 16 at Khalsa College, Patiala. PCMA Award For Excellence in higher education-2011 will be conferred upon Dr RC Sobti, Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University, Chandigarh, for his contribution to the field of Management of Higher Education. PCMA Life Time Achievement award will be conferred upon Prof. KK Uppal for dean faculty of Business Management and Commerce, PAU.
— TNS

CRIME

FIR against local resident for submitting fake documents
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 15
An FIR has been lodged against one of the promoter of Jarkhad Games, Jagrup Singh, a local resident, for producing fake documents while getting his passport made from Jalandhar. The Jalandhar police has registered an FIR against Jagrup Singh under Sections 420, 465, 468, 471, 120B and Passport Act 1967.

The president of Punjab the Anti Corruption and Anti-Fraud Organisation, Jaskaran Singh Brar, has asked to arrest Jagrup Singh for committing the fraud.

According to an FIR number 238, dated November 30, 2011 at Navi Baradari, Jalandhar City, Jagrup got his two passports made from Chandigarh and Jalandhar respectively in which two different date of births had been given. Even the ration card submitted for getting the passport is fake. The matriculation certificate submitted have also found to be fake.